Hanayome no yakudoshi (2006)

Country: Japan
Format: drama in 12 episodes
Genre: family, comedy
Cast: Shinohara Ryoko, Yabe Hiroyuki, Iwashita Shima, Koyama Keiichiro, Sato Hitomi, Kudo Risa, Matsushima Nahomi, Ukaji Takashi, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Sasano Takashi, Sawamura Ikki, Matsumoto Runa,
Synopsis: Taketomi Akiko has turned to 32-years old. This is a year that is known to be "yakudoshi" - the "unlucky year" for women. She has just lost her prestigious job as announcer and is forced to become "fake bride for 3-month bridal training" in country-side for the sake of variety show. By chance, her ex-boyfriend Ichiro with who she dated 10 years ago, fits with the fiancee requirements and before Akiko understands it, she is already working in peach farm in Fukushima. What Akiko does not know is that Ichiro has not talked to his mother for years and his mother is not exactly the kindest mother.
Rating: 3/5
I took some time before finishing this drama. Being already 11 years old, you can find many things similar to other dramas from that time.

Zenkai Girl (2011)

Country: Japan
Format: drama in 11 episodes
Genre: romance, life
Cast: Aragaki Yui, Nishikido Ryo, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Rebutsu Misako, Tani Kanon, Takagi Seira, Reina Asami, Takeushi Riki, Kaito Aiko, Suzuki Ryohei, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Minagawa Sarutoki, Aoyama Noriko, Sato Jiro,
Synopsis: Ayukawa Wakaba dreams of becoming an international lawyer. After getting into Samezima Sakuragawa law firm she gets her first assignment: babysitting boss's 5-years old daughter Hinata until the real nanny returns. In Hinata's preschool Wakaba meets a group of solo-dads who are the opposite of her ideal man, especially Yamada Shota, ex-chef who gave up his dreams in order to raise his ex-wife's son (from first marriage).
Rating: 4/5
I was surprised by "Zenkai Girl" as it was on my watch-list for 2 years already and my first opinion on it was not the best. After watching it, as you see, it got 4 stars and I admit that there was only a little missing from the last star.

Paradise Kiss (2011)

Country: Japan
Genre: romance, comedy, fashion
Format: cinema movie
Cast: Kitagawa Keiko, Mukai Osamu, Kaku Kento, Oomasa Aya, Yamamoto Yusuke, Igarashi Shunji, Kato Natsuki, Hirayama Hiroyuki,
Synopsis: Hayasaka Yukari is a soon-graduating student, who has all her life studied in order to please her mother. After one hard day at school she is "scouted" by two boys who take her to studio called "Paradise Kiss". She meets with fashion students Arashi, Isabella, Miwako and a guy who gives her scary vibe - George. By becoming their model, Yukari soon discovers that there is more to life than just studying and each person must be in control of their own life.
Rating: 5/5

The movie is made after Yazawa Ai's same-named manga which 5 volumes were published during 1999-2003 (anime has 12 episodes and aired in 2005). I am happy, that "Paradise Kiss" live-action saw the light in 2011 and not before it, because this live-action has amazing technical effects and cast. I cannot say how much it was different from the original art as I have not read the manga, but I certainly want to read it in future! I know that the ending of the live-action is different from manga. But remember one thing - "Paradise Kiss" is a shoujo-manga, so the live-action is very girlish too, a bit chic flick.

Hayasaka Yukari is the main character. At first she is snobbish with art students, because their life-style is totally unacceptable. Even though she cannot put up with her mother, she is brave and has a lot of attitude, many times she acts before thinking clearly. I found it weird that in many scenes Yukari had forgotten all things that happened a day or some hours before and acted like it was nothing. Every girl would be on the edge of heart failure, but she had no changes in her emotions. But I will write that mistake on her attitude. Miwako likes to call her Caroline and Isabella mostly refers to her with name Carrie.

 Kitagawa Keiko was amazing in it. At first you can see her with almost no make-up!!! and she still looks like an angel (=.=), just a little bit strange if you have always seen her with good make-up (yeah, even "Buzzer Beat" non-make-up scenes had more make-up than in "Paradise Kiss") Kitagawa Keiko had a great advantage in acting as a model, because she started her rising-road with model-career, being the exclusive model for Japanese "Seventeen".

George is a bit rude, egocentric, playboy, super talented in dress-design, veeeeeery hot and in reality he suck with being true to his feelings. Some scenes might seem unfair to girls, but I think that this dude really knows how to make shocking-therapy xD I have heard that in manga he is bi-sexual and likes sadomasochism, well  there is no sign of it in the live-action. I feel sorry for George, because he is alone most of the time, even though Isabella is always beside him, it is not the same. I liked his one saying about making something great - "It is not tlent, it is a desire". I believe that it goes for most of the things - if you do not have talent, but you have the biggest desire to do it, you will manage it too. Mukai Osamu looks so hot. (Happy be-lated birthday, he got 30 on February 7th!)

Miwako is very naive and I have a feeling that many times she did not get the real point at all. Arashi at the same time is rough, loud and defensive. He at first does not like Yukari at all, because he is annoyed by Yukari's uncertain and high attitude. Miwako and Arashi are together, but its origins go a long way to their childhood, which includes Hiroyuki. I think that Oomasa Aya and Kaku Kento were the right choices for these characters.

Isabella has the least screen time - she is like the mother to the whole Paradise Kiss crew and she helps Yukari a lot when Yukari is feeling down. She is the most loyal friend to George as he was the one who help Isabella to understand her real self. By the way, Isabella is actually a guy.. but her soul is woman, if you know what I mean. Igarashi Shunji made brilliant job - I think that no man has a easy work to act woman role (or a man who feels like woman).

Hiroyuki is the first love of Yukari, a friend and a classmate. Yukari always thinks it is one-sided, but actually she is just too blind to see Hiroyuki's feelings. I think that they suited together so much! that's way I had hard time to decide which guy I prefer. But like I said Hiroyuki was childhood friend with Miwako and Arashi, which makes everything a lot more difficult..

Kaori is the biggest rival George has ever had, but the difference is that Kaori does not have that kind of talent. In manga there are hints that George has some feelings for her, but in live-action they are confuted. Minor roles of parents are there too - like all the time - parents are horrible and suck at first, but later understand how stupid they have been.
One of the most cutest scenes are memories where they are chibis! But weird is that they all discovered their personality at such early age, except Yukari.

I fell in love with George designed clothes - these are even more my style than clothes in "Runway Beat". I would buy all of them, but I am short of money. Does anyone knows where to buy same styled clothes?
Live-action has a great soundtrack too.. and I really love art students. Hopefully I will be one of them next year - I sent my application to university. It is one of the best fashion movies made recently!

SPOILER review: I wanted to comment their competition dresses too, but I do not think it would be right to do in real review. I found Kaori's dress too commercial and it was nothing special. Just open some Korean fashion online shop and most of the dresses are like it! If the meaning of the competition was "right into the shop", then okey, but seriously??! George's blue dress was the killer!!! It was soooo beautiful and difficult to make! I actually would have wanted to see the first, yellow dress too, but they dropped it with neck and crop.
Some words of the end - it was sickly cliched,  but it worked so great! I got double butterflies in my stomach! (do not ask how it feels..). Hint - Kitagawa Keiko really knows how to kiss and so does Mukai Osamu.

JOKER ~Yurusarezaru sousakan~ (2010)

Country: Japan
Genre: law, police, justice
Format: drama 10 episodes + special
Cast: Sakai Masato, Ryo, Nishikido Ryo, (Watanabe) Anne, Osugi Ren, Kaga Takeshi, Hirayama Hiroyuki, (as a quest cast Oshinari Shugo)
Synopsis: Date Kazuyoshi (Sakai Masato) is a police detective. He is known as "Saint" as he has not arrested a criminal for years and because of his quiet, peaceful nature. But at night he is going to punish criminals who have gotten away by law, but there is a time, when even Date misses the weak point. At the same time he has to watch over Miyagi Asuka (Anne), a young detective, who wants to know the truth about his brother's, Date's old pair-man, death and Date's ex-girlfriend and used-to-be detective Katagiri Saeko (Ryo), who starts investigating "Mysterious disappearances".
Rating: 2/5
Okey.. I start from the start. The extra name "Yurusarezaru sousokan" ("Unforgivable police detectives") is lame and tooo long to say, just JOKER would have been better or something else with JOKER.

 What was totally funny, was that Date reminded me Sailor Moon (but he did not make the transform like she did xD). Every time he was going to bust criminal, he said "There is no tomorrow for you!" and shot, Sailor Moon said : "By the power of Moon. I will punish you" and made something to the bad guy.  In addition, he sometimes imitated Lt. Horatio Caine from "CIA Miami" (played by David Caruso) with his head and look. In one episode the criminal even said that Date tries to act cool xD
But I must say that actually the drama is predictable - all the first LIVING guests are criminals, even though they try to confuse people (but it does not work). The drama more makes you confused about the law, even though I know that it all is corrupted, the drama was too negative about it. I try to think like Miyagi Asuka, who believed that you can punish people by law.. but at the same time there are many cases where criminal gets out of the jail and kills again. On the other hand, for some of the criminals I found that in the JOKER system the punishment was too much. This drama makes you think about justice. In this drama, most of the criminals seemed lunatic to me.
What really made me think, was that there was no security cameras, when Date worked at night! I understand that some placed it was usual that they are missing, but places like art gallery???  just too weird.

 About characters and actors... I already told you about Date, he was so cute by his nature, but Sakai Masato was great too. And there was a person about who I have not told a word: Nishikido Ryo who played the part of Kudo Kenji. He was just sooooo great. I enjoyed it very much. Kudo's character was well explained and Nishikido Ryo played it all out. I actually wanted that Kudo would have gotten his long waited kiss, but I was not much disappointed  when it did not happen as it still was a police-drama and he actually made a progress with his feelings. Kudo's character was like a piece of sunshine in a black and white drama. Beside, at many times it seemed like Kudo was the smartest of them all!!!! there was a footprint place and even I was able to say that those were different people!!! -.- But I liked  that he was not afraid of anything in it.
annoying characters...Katagiri Saeko, Asuka and Master.. Katagiri Saeko was just stupid and annoying, she really had a big mouth and did not know when to shut up. It was sad that she and Date still loved each other, but sometimes I felt like she loved Miyagi Natsuki more. But actress Ryo looked so beautiful and young (There are times when she looks old like in "Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari: law of recycling suicides"). Asuka was just naive, she actually was not that annoying and I liked that her feelings for Kudo were nice. She more was natural character, for who you cannot really say anything annoying or great. Master... it was all because of the end.

 There were many cases, where I did not understand the reasons and some proofs were bad. I liked the ending theme "SCAR" by RIP SLYME. I usually to not listen to that kind of music, but it is really addicting song and now there is even a JOKER-episode-ending-dance and you are lucky that you cannot ever see it!